87° UPCygnusthe Swan / the Northern Cross
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starDeneb
How to know itA great cross of stars flying down the summer Milky Way, with brilliant Deneb at its tail.
SKY · CONSTELLATIONS · USA
Constellations Visible Tonight — Indianapolis
Tonight over Indianapolis, 9 of the bright, easy-to-spot constellations climb high into a dark sky. Here's what's up, how high, and which way to face.
DARK-SKY WINDOW TONIGHT · INDIANAPOLIS
Dark by10:31 PM
Until6:21 AM
High up now9
Never rise here8
Altitudes computed for Indianapolis (39.8°, -86.2°) during tonight's dark hours.
High in the sky over Indianapolis tonight
82° UPLyrathe Lyre
Lookwestern sky
Anchor starVega
How to know itSmall but led by Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky and a corner of the Summer Triangle.
59° UPPegasusthe Winged Horse
Looksouth-eastern sky
Anchor starMarkab
How to know itThe "Great Square" of Pegasus is a big, easy autumn signpost high in the eastern sky.
53° UPAquilathe Eagle
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
49° UPCassiopeiathe Queen
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starSchedar
How to know itA bright "W" or "M" of five stars, circling the north pole opposite the Big Dipper — useful for finding north.
48° UPAndromedathe Chained Princess
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starAlpheratz
How to know itHome to the Andromeda Galaxy — the most distant thing visible to the naked eye, a faint smudge on a dark night.
29° UPBoötesthe Herdsman
Lookwestern sky
Anchor starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
25° UPPerseusthe Hero
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starMirfak
How to know itA rich slice of the Milky Way and the radiant of the August Perseid meteor shower.
22° UPSagittariusthe Archer / the Teapot
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starKaus Australis
How to know itIts bright stars form a "Teapot" — and it points straight at the dense, glowing centre of the Milky Way.
“Up” is the highest the centre of each pattern gets above the horizon tonight — your fist at arm's length spans about 10°. Directions are where to face when it's best placed.
Low on the horizon from Indianapolis
These clear the horizon but stay low, so trees and buildings may hide them: Ursa Major (~15°, north-western) · Scorpius (~8°, south-western).
Out of reach from Indianapolis
At Indianapolis's latitude these never climb above the horizon, so you can't see them from here at any time of year: Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Orion, Centaurus, Crux, Canis Major, Carina. To catch them, you'd need to travel toward the Southern Hemisphere.
Indianapolis right now
More sky over Indianapolis
SEE IT ON THE MAP
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